Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts happens to know some talented Indian-American doctors in Dodge City, so when he met the Indian-American nominee for Surgeon General, naturally he felt they should all meet.

"You ever been to Dodge City, Kansas?" Roberts asked Dr. Vivek Murthy at his confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

"I have not sir, but I would love to come," Murthy replied.

Roberts told President Obama's nominee to be the next Surgeon General that he would "be right at home" in Dodge City, pointing out that he knows at least two Indian doctors work there.

"I'm going to invite you, because we have a wonderful doctor from India. She's in her mid-30's and she's highly respected by the community and another doctor from India that did my carpel tunnel when I did a stupid thing," Roberts said.

"I think you'd be right at home, and we would welcome you," Roberts added.

The exchange was first reported by Slate.

Murthy was born in England but moved to Miami when he was a child with his parents, who were originally from India. Murthy, a hospitalist attending physician and instructor at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School, received a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and an MBA and MD from Yale. He is now a U.S. citizen.

President Obama nominated Murthy for the Surgeon General position in November.